ATLANTA (AP) — England defender Jarell Quansah was handed a two-match suspension on Thursday for his red card offense against Mexico in the World Cup round of 16.
That means Quansah will miss England's quarterfinal match against Norway in Miami Gardens on Saturday and also the semifinals if Thomas Tuchel's team advances.
Quansah was sent off in the second half of England's 3-2 victory against Mexico on Sunday for a dangerous foul on Jesus Gallardo.
FIFA confirmed the two-match suspension for serious foul play.
England forward Bukayo Saka said the decision was “incredibly frustrating.”
FIFA’s handling of red card punishments has come under intense scrutiny after its disciplinary committee suspended the one-game penalty of star United States striker Folarin Balogun after President Donald Trump intervened and contacted FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
Infantino defended the independence of FIFA’s disciplinary committee and insisted the Balogun case was properly handled.
“We’re not here to complain, we just need to adapt and pick a team that’s ready to beat Norway,” Saka said.
Quansah’s prolonged extension is the latest issue for Tuchel to contend with at right back.
First choice Reece James has not played since England’s second game of the tournament against Ghana due to a hamstring injury.
His backup Tino Livramento was sent home before England even kicked off its campaign after injuring his calf. Tuchel opted to call up a center back in Trevoh Chalobah as his replacement, rather than going for a specialist right back.
It meant Quansah, who usually plays in central defense, has taken on the role of deputy to James.
Tuchel faced questions before the World Cup for leaving out Real Madrid right back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is widely regarded as one of the top players in Europe.
James Robson is at https://x.com/jamesalanrobson
See more of AP’s World Cup coverage here
England's Jarell Quansah, left, fouls Mexico's Jesus Gallardo to see a red card during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
England's Jarell Quansah (26) reacts after receiving a red card during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
England's Jarell Quansah (26) leaves the field after receiving a red card during the World Cup round of 16 soccer match between Mexico and England in Mexico City, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Democrats in Maine began jockeying Thursday to become the new candidate for a pivotal U.S. Senate seat after progressive nominee Graham Platner announced he will withdraw from the race after a sexual assault allegation.
Democrats need to pick a candidate to replace Platner on the ballot by July 27, according to state law. Whoever is selected will have less than four months before facing longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins in the general election. Potential candidates had already been teasing their interest before Platner, who denies the allegation, announced he intends to drop out. But a growing number began formally launching their campaigns Thursday.
The Maine Democratic Party has said it will hold a nominating convention to choose the replacement. The party says the convention will involve hundreds of delegates from across the state, but how and when that’ll take place remains unknown. Platner is expected to file paperwork to formally withdraw on Monday, the deadline to do so.
Maine is considered a key state for control of the narrowly divided Senate, and Democrats are desperate for a candidate capable of defeating Collins while President Donald Trump is broadly unpopular.
These are some of the people who have shown interest in the Maine Senate race:
Jackson is Maine’s former state Senate president. He unsuccessfully ran to be the Democratic nominee for governor earlier this year with the backing of Platner and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders. Shortly after Platner said he would quit the Senate race, Jackson launched his campaign, arguing that Mainers want “a progressive fighter." Our Revolution, the organization founded by Sanders, has since said it would back Jackson, 58.
Jackson released a statement with dozens of endorsements, many from current and former state and local officials, on Thursday.
Shah, former director of Maine’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention, announced Thursday he was vying to be the next Democratic Senate candidate. He came in second in this year’s Maine Democratic governor's primary and was seen as more of a moderate candidate compared with Jackson while running for governor. Shah held a news conference Thursday in which he encouraged Platner supporters to join him.
“You have an important place in this campaign and we welcome your voices,” Shah said. “This campaign represents the values that we all care about.”
The co-founder of Maine Beer Company, Kleban also confirmed his candidacy on Wednesday after Platner's announcement. Kleban briefly entered the Senate race last year before dropping out when Gov. Janet Mills announced her candidacy. Kleban, 49, endorsed Mills, who later dropped out of the Democratic primary.
“I'm ready to fight for Mainers and bring a new generation of leadership to Washington,” Kleban said.
Bellows is Maine's secretary of state. She announced Thursday that she's running for the seat, saying she's spent her career “taking on tough fights and doing the right thing," where she's served as a former civil liberties advocate and sparred with President-elect Donald Trump over ballot access.
This wouldn't be her first time running for political office. Bellows, 51, placed fourth in the state’s Democratic governor's primary in June. And in 2014, Bellows ran against Collins as the Senate Democratic nominee and lost in a landslide.
Wood, 36, initially attempted to run in the Maine Democratic Senate primary last year but dropped out to run in the state's 2nd District. He lost that race, coming in third to state Auditor Matt Dunlap. He's since said he's interested in running for the Senate again, and announced on Thursday.
“To beat Susan Collins, we need a candidate who can provide a true contrast and run an unapologetically progressive campaign: Passing Medicare for All. Stopping ICE terrorizing our streets,” Wood wrote on social media on Tuesday.
Loud filed paperwork to run for the Senate seat earlier this week. The 29-year-old social worker also ran in the state's 2nd District Democratic primary, but came in last during the state's first round of ranked choice voting.
Geiger, a previous Platner supporter and a state Democratic lawmaker, is another potential candidate. She hasn't announced her candidacy, but in an interview with MS NOW on Wednesday, Geiger, 70, said she would hire Platner's staff, whom she described as “deeply impassioned and confident young people.”
Kruesi reported from Providence, R.I.
Follow the AP’s coverage of the 2026 election at https://apnews.com/projects/elections-2026/.
The headquarters for former Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Graham Platner is quiet Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Ellsworth, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
In this combination of photos taken in Augusta, Maine news conferences, Nirav Shah, left, speaks April 28, 2020, and Troy Jackson speaks, Jan. 17, 2023. (AP Photos/Robert F. Bukaty)
FILE - Voter cast their Maine primary ballots at the Civic Center, June 9, 2026, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
FILE - Dan Kleban, a co-owner of the Maine Beer Company, poses in the company's tasting room in Freeport, Maine, May 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
FILE - Senate President Troy Jackson speaks at a news conference, Jan. 17, 2023, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty, File)
FILE - Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows speaks at a news conference, Oct. 6, 2025 at the Maine State House in Augusta. (AP Photo/Patrick Whittle, File)
FILE - Nirav Shah, director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, speaks at a news conference, April 28, 2020, in Augusta, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
